Dead on Time
by AdventWing
Summary: AU He was a Drifter in search of revenge. She was a Hunter in search of a cure. Fate lets them meet - a decision made a little too hastily perhaps. At the rate things are going, they’ll kill each other before they get to the whole destiny bit. IchiRuki
1. Crossed Roads

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or the characters.

Author's Notes: There has been a disturbing lack of IchiRuki lately – I _needed_ to write this.

Enjoy, and see you at the bottom (if you make it to the bottom -.- ).

Edit: I think I'm taking the suggestion 'Don't be afraid to rewrite', a liiiiitle bit too far. Oh well. It's all in the name of a better read.

--

It was a town where paths diverged or joined – the Vagrant term was a Crossroads, and its name was Loft.

She had 'The Wanderer' stuck in her head, and the horse seemed to like the tune – his tail swished in time with her humming.

"Alright," she sighed, adjusting the rim of her white hat. "This is it."

The horse turned to stare at her questioningly.

"The town gate." She explained, tightening his saddle and making sure her gear was secured.

The horse examined the gates carefully. and tossed his head. He supposed you _could_ call it that.

It was little more than three poles nailed together to form a rectangle, the ground as the base. The wood was sun-washed and full of cracks, but since everyone else called them town gates he supposed that was what they were.

She laughed. "It…doesn't look like much, does it?" She looked to the gates wistfully. "…But town gates are deceptive."

In a smooth, practiced motion, she saddled up, hooking her foot into the stirrup and swinging into the saddle.

"...Work before play." Her features became harder as her oft-said motto rolled around her psyche. Being in Buirin was just a bonus. She pressed with her knees and her horse turned south.

As she rode out, he rode in.

He was just another wanderer. His cloak was tattered at the edges, though someone might have recognized the large gold badge as the Shihouin Crest – if it wasn't so scratched and dull.

No one paid him any attention usually, he was just another wanderer.

He pulled the rim of his hat so the shade would hide his eyes. '_Just another wanderer. I'm just another wanderer.' _As was his habit, he tried to _will_ everyone around him to believe it.

It wasn't true, of course.

"Excuse me! You there!" Shouted a voice taut with tension, and three men were running to him, their boots thumping hard on the ground.

His gaze cocked to the right in a sharp glance, a tightening of muscles - none of them carried weapons, none visible anyway…he kept riding.

"You there!"

He tugged the high collar of the cloak down irritably. _I don't have the time!_

Reaching out to his right-shoulder, his knuckles whitened upon a handle - on his cloaked back there lay what looked like a broadsword wrapped in cloth.

They caught up, their bodies flagging with the effort. "P…please—!" One panted, as the others caught their breath. "…You must help us! We've been robbed! All our savings and—"

_You don't have the time._

"-and you've been the only person to come in for days!"

…_Screw it. _

He sighed, turning around. "…Yeah?" Ichigo asked, with an expression that was part fury and part exasperation. "If that's the case, what do the hell you guys expect me to do?"

**Dead on Time**  
_70 percent/00:20:00  
__**Crossed Roads**_

_"It was a long time ago...but there was someone known as The God of Death."_

--

The Wall had been here since forever, and it's high, isolating peaks had only one break in them - the large hammer like rock formation called Buirin's Arc.

_Hot. _

Ichigo would have called it The Wave, but he didn't need someone to tell him his naming sense was off.

_Hot._

That's what it looked like anyway! Like someone had turned the ground to liquid, and then dashed it up, leaving it to freeze again in mid-splash.

_Gods, it was so hot._

And that was probably what had happened. What the hell did truth matter when it came to the Lost Age?

_Hot...!_

Kurosaki Ichigo wiped his forehead free of sweat.

Somewhere, high above, a bird cried out annoyingly, its high-pitched screech grating on his nerves.

Heat was something you had to deal with in the desert, and Ichigo really liked to think he knew that better than some.

"I…am not crazy," he spat.

A firm voice spoke up from beside him. "Insanity is a matter of perspective."

Desperate to escape the heat, he ignored the smartass on his right and tried a trick a lady had taught him a few years back.

Erasing all frustration, he tried to cool himself down with sheer willpower, letting the oppressive heat wash over him and away from him. He concentrated on the desert, the empty silence, interrupted only by the occasional blast of wind and the rattle of the sand and—

—and the bird cried again and popped his bubble of serenity with the grace of a two-year old handling a balloon. He snapped his gaze up with the intention of shooting it down and frying it on a boulder.

"It would be possible, yes. De-feather it first though." Zangtesu frowned. "But I'm quite sure you've had Craven before."

Ichigo gazed at his ghost/partner/friend flatly, and Zangetsu gazed back, his face equally impassive, the only difference being the sweat and dirt on Ichigo's face.

The orange-haired young man stifled the choice words that sprang to his mind. _Shouting would make it hotter, _he decided tiredly.

"Yes. Studies have shown stress resulting from an argument causes body temperature to increase."

Ichigo glared at him venomously.

"And I would insist," Zangetsu continued. "That you stop being so vulgar about my mother."

Zangetsu sometimes looked to Ichigo like one of the actors he had seen in the circus. These people would hold so perfectly still, you could have sworn they were painted mannequins until they spoke. Well, Zangetsu took the painted-mannequin act one step further. His hair and coat-tails seemed to have been frozen just as the wind had whipped them up.

Ichigo would love to see anyone at the circus try and do that.

…Selling Zangetsu to the circus though, would be impossible, since no one could see him but himself.

"…I'm not crazy, or stupid," the cloak-clad young man muttered irritably. "Since I'm neither, I'd like to know what the fuck we're doing out here, at _noon_."

"But you know," Zangetsu replied. "And it is totally your fault."

"…Tch." Ichigo settled back into his horse.

"Why do always act surprised when things like this happen? If it is your nature, there is nothing that can be—"

"—Alright!" Ichigo snapped. "...Alright! I get it - now get out, I'll lose sight of the Arc." Zangetsu complied, returning to Ichigo's side.

And so the odd pair rode in silence, moving ever closer to the gigantic rock formation, its backdrop the clear blue sky.

"You feeling anything yet?" He snapped

Zangetsu shielded his vision from the sun, and Ichigo wondered why. The glare was surely no obstacle. "Yes. Actually, I can."

"Where?"

"Ahead. Towards the area Kray described. I'm afraid I can't be sure till we get closer."

Ichigo's fingers crept under his hat and he scratched thoughtfully. "The bandits should be hiding in the canyons past here…at the base to Blue Mountain."

"If that is so, I shall take my leave," He intoned briskly. "You will need whatever strength you can recover from my absence."

Ichigo grunted an affirmative.

He faded away and called out "Watch your back while I'm gone."

--

He found them in the dying minutes of twilight; their lights had betrayed their position.

Ichigo had climbed to a suitably high location and waited, till the pinpricks came on, like fireflies in the gloom.

The canyons and hills at the base of Blue Mountain was a Mother Nature-made maze of brown rock, and the Blue Mountain Wolves, as they were called, expected the hills they were nestled in to offer adequate cover.

He had picked a good vantage point, the best actually, and that made all the difference. Anywhere else and he would have seen nothing. He sat, reached for his canteen, and gulped a reasonable amount down, biding his time for night to fall.

From the information the townspeople gave, they had probably settled in this area to become a Clan. Ichigo yet to meet a Hunter who would assault a bandit encampment without help, and the Wolves relied on that fact more than the cover the canyon provided.

Finding them was simple - now it was time for the hard part.

The wind picked up, and Ichigo, gazing out into the indigo glow, tugged the collar of his tattered cloak up too.

--

The camp echoed with song and fire, alcohol and card games; the standard cocktail for the celebration of a successful heist.

He tried counting them idly. Fifty…? Sixty? More were out of view, definitely, as sentries or asleep. He was up against an army, and there was only one of him; two if you counted the bluebird on his back. He could assume they weren't expecting company; again, there wasn't a Hunter alive who would assault a bandit clan without help.

Well, he had the element of surprise at the very least. He could probably shoot the generator, kill the light. Then he could grab the cash, shoot a few of them, and get away in the confusion.

_Hmm. _He murmured. Catchy.

_Shoot, shoot some more, run. _

He liked it.

…_Must you always insist on such uncouth tactics?_ Zangetsu cut in wearily.

Ichigo nodded, unfazed by Zangetsu's sudden appearance. _Right,_ he replied._ I don't know where they keep the money yet. Once I know that, then I can shoot the generator—_

He stopped as he heard a deep, weary sigh echo in his head.

"You have a better one?" Ichigo bit back. "I'm not hearing it."

_I had initially planned to give you free reign tonight, but your battle sense has obviously not strengthened since our last encounter._

_...Oh really? _He snapped heatedly. _Why would you say that? _

_You haven't sensed 'it'._

Ichigo felt his blood freeze. "_It_?" He breathed.

_There. The one in the corner._

The 'it' in question was sporting an almost black cloak and a broad rimmed hat. He had neither food nor drink beside him, and everyone seemed to give him a wide girth. Brown leather gloves rested on faded jeans.

_If you concentrate…_Zangetsu began, but halted upon sensing the steel in his young charge through the bond.

Ichigo stared hard at the man, who at first glance would seem quite normal, and the air around him…flickered. It was enough. He saw it all; leathery skin, a monstrous arm, and the mask!

That mask with two red soul piercing circles of light.

"A 'Hollow'…" His grip whitened on the straps of his bundle. "…and this time—"

_Patience! _Zangetsu chastised. _You are too brash! You have ridden throughout the day with without rest and I can tell your reserves are—_

—A gunshot rang out, sharp and clear as a bell. Someone screamed in pain.

The bandits jumped, and Ichigo followed suit. "I didn't…"

The camp exploded into anarchy. Men jumped to their feet, pulling on masks, jamming on hats, socks, shoes, dropping their cups, and grabbing their weapons…the gunshots continued, four more, and sharp cries of pain followed.

They were under attack. It was unbelievable but it was happening. Curses and confused cries echoed.

Lights were shot out, and amidst the chaos, the Hollow rose from where he was seated. It seemed to tower over everyone else.

Everyone slowed to stop. **"Check the sentries," **it said. Its voice was like gravel on steel. **"And find me the intruders."**

Everyone moved at once, like amateur actors who suddenly remembered their lines. To Ichigo they were less than ants on the kitchen floor. All his attention was rooted on what he knew was a Hollow.

One minute, a bandit was running past it, the next minute, it had him by the throat.

Quiet commands were whispered. The young man nodded, the shine of his sweat visible from Ichigo's position.

He was released, and the unfortunate bandit stumbled off in his haste to obey.

Ichigo had understood every word perfectly though he had heard none of the conversation.

"Check on our treasure," he grinned. "Bandits. Ya gotta love 'em."

_There aren't many things constant in this world, but a thief's greed is one. _Zangetsu comented._ …And our surprise benefactors agree._

Ichigo shrugged. "A Hunting Party got past their net in the previous town. It wouldn't be the first time." He traced the unfortunate bandit as he stumbled off. "A bandit's mistake and a gracious gift - it'd be rude to waste both. I'll buy the group leader a drink when I get the reward."

…_Into it now, are we? _he asked.

"Oh shut up," Ichigo spat, and moved to follow his quarry, hugging the shadows of the cliff shelf.

He didn't notice the rock he had kicked, its path to the camp amidst the chaos, or the intensity of the stare the Hollow had, an intensity pointed in his former hiding place.

Their quarry was easy to follow, but they were running out of ledge space. They would have to move to camp level soon.

At first, Zangetsu did not want to say anything, in fear of setting his young charge off.

Still, in the end, practicality and curiosity won out.

_Ichigo, concerning the Hollow… _he began, and regretted it as he felt the turmoil of emotions rush through the bond.

Ichigo's countenance darkened as the thrill of competition left him cold. "I can't pass up a chance to secure the loot…but afterwards, I'll take advantage of our surprise benefactor's grace in a very different way."

Zangetsu didn't know whether to praise him for putting the townspeople first, of chastise him for thinking slaying the Hollow would be so straightforward.

Deeper into the canyon lay tents. There were torches fixed into the cliff walls, and their flickering light granted Ichigo some help in tracking his quarry.

He was right. There were about two dozen more emerging from tents, fingering their weapons…but…there was something wrong here, something fundamentally different from past bandit camps he had some across.

The townspeople could demonize them all they want, but bandits turned to this life because of how bad the farming was becoming. Although wells weren't drying up, crops were failing, and no one could figure out why. No amount of Arcadian Magic could return the nutrients to the soil.

And since Arcadia couln't do jack to help them, so they turned to robbing convoys and richer towns.

And so, most Clans looked like villages.

There were clothes hung out to dry, horses in stables, dogs…children…. It was why no one dared attack a bandit camp without a large group of Hunters, and maybe some help from Vanguards just to be sure; they were attacking a person's home, and a person defending a home and family would often fight to the death.

…_Ichigo— _Zangetsu began.

"—I know, I know. There's something wrong here."

He hesitated. There were many explanations for why the place looked like it did. Maybe this wasn't the main camp. Maybe the 'village' was further in the maze of canyons that lay in at the base of Blue Mountain.

Too many maybes, but he crept down the ledge he was perched on anyway, slowly, making sure to cover his bright hair by pulling his hat down.

His hair was bright enough to warrant attention in this light, but there wouldn't be a problem thanks to his good friend the bluebird.

_Incoming. Tent occupant exiting. _Zangetsu warned in clipped, tense tones.

At that, Ichigo hugged the wall of the canyon, crouching in the shadow between two tents.

The tent's occupant ran across Ichigo's vision, not paying a second's glance to the shadows he had passed countless times.

With that, Ichigo smirked and moved on, he and Zangetsu falling into a rhythm of commands and movement. Ichigo focused on his immediate surroundings as he continued to his quarry's tent. Zangetsu would be his radar - it was up to Ichigo to spot the appropriate hiding places, and he did so with an eye trained by experience.

It was a tactic that was only possible with complete faith in the other.

_Two hostile._ Ichigo shuffled into a crevice smoothly and crouched. Two bandits rushed past and he shuffled out.

_Three hostiles, exiting tents. _He hid behind some crates and waited for the group to move on.

_Left tent good. One hostile fast, right corner, _and he ducked quickly into the empty tent to his left. A bandit uttered curses about hunger and how bloody late it was. Ichigo waited till he the curses fade away.

_The Target has entered the right tent two tents away. _Zangetsu reported. _Three hostiles in three tents to the left. One in each. No movement detected. Quarry is alone. Move._

Ichigo pushed the tent flap up and strode quickly towards the tent with his quarry. As he did, he gripped the cloth covered handle of Zangetsu. The cloth reacted to his touch and fell away, trailing down into a tassel that stopped at his knees. His gloves were dull beige upon impossibly black steel.

_Right-One, clear. _

Ichigo passed the tent purposefully, spinning the weapon around, his wrists cracking as he readied for a fight.

_Right-Two, clear._

Closer. He took longer strides, his heartbeat rising along his quickened pace.

_Right-Three, clear!_

Ichigo gripped Zangetsu hard, and whispered "Turn."

The huge gun glowed and became a slim handgun with a long barrel. The tassel had been transformed into chains. There wasn't a bit of it that wasn't jet-black.

_The target is inside, leaning against the right wall!_

He cleared the last few strides, and with his left arm pulling the flap open he slid in smoothly. The arm aiming Zangetsu extended and—

Ichigo was suddenly staring down the barrel of a gun, and instinctively jerked back to point Zangetsu at the head of the gun's owner. His finger twitched on the tigger—!

"A kid?" Three voices asked; Ichigo's, Zangetsu's and the young girl with the gun.

He recovered as best he could, studying the young girl from head to foot. "…You seem a little young to be handling a gun like that," he said tauntingly, moving slowly to the left, inching closer as nonchalantly as he could. _Oi! _He asked._ Are we in the wrong tent? This ain't the damn guy._

Zangetsu was so confused Ichigo could feel it through the bond. It was usually only open one-way.

"Young?" the girl echoed. "I'd say the same to you, _child_. You do know you're moving in on another Hunter's game?"

_Hunter? _Zangetsu echoed.

"Child?!" Ichigo snapped back. He quickly tapered the volume of his words. "…Just who the hell are you calling—"

A groan sounded to the side, and the two gunslingers reflexively pointed their barrels at it. Ichigo's bandit lay comatose against the tent with a large and conspicuous lump.

Ichigo's eyebrows shot up. "Hey, that's my quarry."

The girl's dark blue eyes narrowed at that, and swiftly moved the barrel back to his face as he spoke. Ichigo did the same.

"Your quarry? I'm afraid he was mine."

Ichigo's lips tugged into a feral grin at this. "Okay kid, let's say you're a Hunter. I don't hear any of your friends, so I think that you should put your weapon down and let—"

"First," she said, and her voice was rather husky. Ichigo imagined she was angry. "I came here alone."

He cocked an eyebrow. Alone? No way. She was either crazy or stupid. Or both. His scowl deepened - he liked to keep clear of either minority.

"Second," the girl continued, "I have a faster trigger finger than you." Ichigo's felt his ire rise. He could probably shoot her first _and_ punch a hole through the wall behind this little—

"And third—"

_Ichigo—! _Zangetsu cried.

A dagger flashed into her hand as she pivoted towards him.

Ichigo blinked, she had closed the distance, the dagger in her left hand and as she spun she warded off his long barreled gun with her own.

He barely had time to stop the knife's path - the edge of his palm met her wrist solidly. A split second after contact, he moved seamlessly from a block to a grip, twisting her wrist down tightly until she dropped the knife.

Golden-brown glared into an angry blue as she said, "My name's not 'kid'; it's Rukia."

_She's pretty good. _Zangetsu muttered.

_And why didn't you warn me earlier? _He snarled in reply. Silence greeted him.

…_I could not read her. Cannot read her. It would seem she is masking her lifeforce._

He studied her fully, her gaze never wavered. "Drop the gun," he said calmly.

"No, I think you should," she suggested. "This fight was decided the moment you walked in."

_Her gun is muffled._

"I can see that!" Ichigo snapped aloud, and regretted it when he watched her eyebrows rise fractionally. He felt oddly uncomfortable now.

"Then you can start by letting me go," she said, gesturing to her wrist.

A pause.

_Ichigo…_

Ichigo snarled mentally at his partner. _You could muffle the shot if you wanted to!_

_...You're planning on shooting her?_

"Hello?" She asked, cutting in. "Let me go?"

"…Yeah, all right." Ichigo grunted, lowering his weapon to point to the floor, and then he threw her to the side, striding past her as nonchalantly as possible.

"You—!" Rukia exclaimed, too unbalanced to make an effort to impose herself between him and the bandit's ill-gotten loot. "…Just what do you think you're doing? We'll talk," She recovered and moved to his side, her gun pointed at his head. "Not divide the loot!"

"You can keep the damn loot." Ichigo snapped back irritably.

_Stop sulking, _Zangetsu chided.

Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, but snapped it shut again.

Dropping to one knee, he rummaged around the chests as Rukia looked on irritably.

Inside lay various jewels, bags of gold and silver coins, he shoved them all aside until — He spotted it; a crystal shaped like a prism, coloured gold like the sands of the Great Desert. _Is this it? _Ichigo asked, careful not to voice his thoughts. He thumbed the image of the flame that was stamped into it.

_It must be. It seems vaguely familiar. _He replied. Ichigo touched it and suddenly—

_Fire. Heat. It burned him choked him brought tears to his eyes his skin was on fire and—_

He wretched himself out of it with a snarl, dropping the stone like it was hot. "It…"

_Are you all right?!_ Zangetsu asked anxiously. _The bond! I felt…_

"I'm fine," he murmured, picking up the stone gingerly. Nothing more happened, but it felt warm to the touch. He thumbed the flame stamp again. _More importantly, did you remember anything?_

_No._ Zangetsu sighed. _Whereas the previous stones had some sort of an effect, this one did nothing. Anyway, the bond! I felt some kind of—_

_Wait! _Ichigo cried as he suddenly remembered he had company. She was watching him with a closed, thoughtful expression on her face. "So," she said, deciding that it was okay to holster her gun. "What's that? It looks like a Soul Stone, but…"

Ichigo shrugged. "Not sure." He got up. "All I know is I had to get it back." He started to stride past her. "You seem to think you're capable enough. I'll leave it to you to get everything else back to the townspeople."

_Ichigo…_ Zangetsu muttered warningly.

Rukia raised a hand. "Wait," she said. "Unfortunately, I won't be able to sneak all this out in two trips."

Ichigo halted. "So?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"We'll divide the reward between us, seventy-thirty, if you help me out." She stuck out her hand. "Fair?"

Ichigo stared at the hand. "Nah, you'll be fine," he said trying to stride away.

_Ichigo! _Zangetsu admonished.

"Very well then," she said, calling for him to stop. Her teeth grit against each other as she struggled to maintain a smile. "Sixty-forty. Though I think it a bit unfair, since I let you keep that Stone."

Ichigo glanced at her for a heartbeat, and then made to move. "I'm sure you'll be fine, hunter-girl. Good luck."

_Ichigo! _Zangetsu exclaimed. _She—_

Rukia kicked Ichigo's shin.

_FUC—_

"Okay listen up!" She hissed as he bent over. "I'm feeling generous tonight, so what I'll do is; I won't hit you again if you carry half the bags! And I'll spilt the reward fifty-fifty. Deal?"

Ichigo glared at her angrily, rubbing a spot he was sure would bruise. _What the hell! Those soles must be stuffed with ROCKS._

_Ichigo._ Zangetsu sighed. _Just take the bags. _

"Yeah fine!" He snapped, more to Zangetsu than to Rukia.

"Thank you." She said.

He felt a vein tick somewhere on his forehead, and had to reply - "I'm only doing this because it's obvious you're too small to carry it all."

"Sma..."

Rukia's foot twitched towards him but instead of kicking him again, she looked up and beamed a smile too sweet to be real. "Okay," she said. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Good," he muttered, nodding hesitantly as he hefted a bag.

Resisting the strange urge to watch her face for any signs of treachery, he pushed aside the tent flap—

_ICHIGO!— _Zangetsu warned, but it was too late.

He found himself face to face with the bandits, and their tall, imposing leader.

--

Orihime set her cards in the earth-deity pattern. Sora had taught her a better one, rather, she knew she should be using it, but it didn't seem right just yet.

The candle-light flared, and cast everything in shades of blue.

No. This would not do. Her heart, unfocused, would ruin her understanding. She emptied her mind, removing all but the sight of the candle flame.

It dimmed.

She wiped at her eyes. "There." She whispered. Now that she had succeeded in cleansing her heart, she whispered the ancient chant, her fingers dancing among the cards now, flipping them up in smooth practiced motions. "_I Invoke the Voice. Heard by the Mind, understood by the Heart - let the Cards speak_."

The candle brightened, the faces revealed. Her gaze was drawn to two cards, each dominated by an intricate painting of a skeleton in black robes and cowl - Death _Parvulus_, Death _Custodis_, two of the three cards of Death within her eighty card deck.

Suddenly breathless, she brushed her index finger against the painted images to feel for a flash of insight. Tearing her gaze away from the twins and scanning the rest of the pattern—

She had seen this reading before.

She had to clam herself down, she was getting ahead of herself. After another breathing exercise, she pushed back the cowl of her hood, as she bent over to study the rest of the Cards for answers.

The candle flared again, and cast the top-most card, the signifier, the standard by which the entire pattern must be construed, into shadow.

– It was labeled 'The World'.

**Tsuzuku**

**Dead on Time OMAKE aka a fancy name for author's notes and so clearly within the guidelines set by ffnet -eye-roll-**

-Throws confetti into the air- Congrats! You made it past my retarded prose to the end of Chapter 1!

**Tsuzuku means 'to be continued'. You can find it at the end of a lot of old j-dramas and anime.**

**Also, I just remembered that I used it cause syaoran-no-hime used it to end her chapters. She's a legend (and one of my idols). Go read now!  
**


	2. Crossed Roads 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but the setting is mine! Ahahaha!

…I can't satisfy my craving for IchiRuki by writing IchiRuki.

…That's bad right.

Well. Here's chapter two. Enjoy XD

_Insanity is doing the same thing and over and expecting different results._

-**Einstein**

**Dead on Time**  
_70 percent/00:20:00  
**By Advent Wing**_

_Ah crud._

Someone in the crowd of bandits coughed. Only a dozen of them had guns, but a glance to the left yielded the same results.

He backed up and found himself bumping into Rukia. "This is a problem isn't it?" She asked coolly.

It stepped forward, and Ichigo watched as one of the steps it made ground a rock into dust. "**You know what you took," **it said, stretching a hand out - leather creaked audibly in the tense silence.

"Pull yourself together." Someone in the crowd hissed. A young man in the front cringed. Rukia eyed him carefully. There was something about his undernourished frame and shaking hands, and the way he huddled close to the other, more grizzled-looking bandits. One of whom, gave him a quick shove. Stumbling forward before finding his balance, he pointed his knife again at Rukia with a chagrined expression.

Rukia resisted the urge to smirk.

_Perfect_.

"Okay," Ichigo said, but Rukia had the strangest feeling he wasn't talking to her or the tall man with the voice like gravel on stone.

He turned to her, and his face - Rukia bit her lip to keep from laughing - He looked like one of the mules back home. Stubborn. Like he was spoiling for a fight-

And then his face became cold, and she felt like her own humour had died. "I'm going to do something that'll get their attention," he began. "I want you to get back into the tent, cut a hole with your knife and get out the back way."

Rukia nodded. "Okay. And you?"

"I'm staying here."

She felt her leg twitch upwards, and struggled to remain cool. Aha. That was what was so familiar before - she discovered fairly early in her life that the attitudes of mules could be resolved by a swift kick. "…Okay," she nodded. "I'll head back into the tent, cut a hole, and get out the back way."

Ichigo felt that uncomfortable feeling again, but nodded, "Good-

"**I am waiting."**

Ichigo stepped forward, and the stone sailed through the air - The Hollow grinned as he caught it and-

—the shiny teeth under the hat's shadow contorted horrifically; it screamed like an animal in pain.

His fellows jumped, stared as their leader's true nature was revealed - that was all Ichigo needed.

Kicking the ground up he sprinted to the right, loosing a shot that hit a bandit high on the shoulder. The poor man jerked backwards into the arms of his buddies, and Ichigo vaulted behind some crates - bandit bullets sent wood chips into the air, but too many were hypnotized by the Hollow, as it continued its reason ending scream.

Ichigo glanced to his left and—

"DAMMIT WOMAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" He bellowed staring incredulously at the young girl beside him.

"_I never said when I'd get in the tent!_" She retorted, ducking as bullets pounded into the crate. She popped out over the side this time, aimed low, and clipped a man in the leg.

"I—!"

"Did you think I'd leave you to fight these men alone?!" She asked, and now they were cautious, they let the ones with guns take them while they tried to encircle their cover.

_It looks like I'm right. AGAIN. _Zangetsu said, emphasising the last word, more than a touch of frustration in his voice.

"Crazy bitch-

_Ichigo!_ Zangetsu cut in._ The Hollow is recovering! _Ichigo cursed. The firefight had put considerable distance between them.

"Wha—?" Rukia uttered as Ichigo took off towards it.

Shaking her head, she tried her hardest to keep any who would attempt to shoot him busy.

_Gun at eleven! _Ichigo saw his would be attacker and shot the weapon out of his hand.

_Blades at six!_ Step, step, roll, aim! Zangetsu spun to meet the bandit's charge and the young man flinched at being confronted by a gun. Ichigo shouldered past him.

_Gun at two!_ _Gun at four!_ _Blade at nine! _He dodged what he couldn't shoot, and the Bandits began thinking twice about attacking the young man who looked to be handling a jet-black whirlwind.

The Hollow shook his head dizzily, dropping the stone, he was again a tall man wearing a hat, but he looked at Ichigo and there was no face under the rim, just inky blackness save a white mask with two

_hateful_

_eyes!_

It roared, Ichigo roared, and Zangetsu roared at him to _watch the damn arm—!_

The suddenly monstrous arm swung through empty air, meeting the ground, stone and dirt erupting into the air. Coming out of the roll, Ichigo's left arm slammed into the ground to steady himself, his cold gaze took aim down the long barrel of Zangetsu and he fired —

Now he stood over the body. Where there should have been a head, there was a stump of uneven flesh. He was panting now, couldn't hear much other than his own breathing and thunderous heart. He fired into the body. One. He fired again. Two. He fired again. Three. He fired and fired until finally he squeezed the trigger and heard a soft _click_.

_Ichigo. That's enough. _

He looked around hazily, and all the Bandits had stopped fighting and were gazing at him. Many had wide eyes.

Rukia was squirming in the grasp of a large bearded one. The bear-like man searched Ichigo's cold brown eyes…and then he raised his hands, letting Rukia go in the same movement.

"We surrender."

--

They sat, Ichigo feeling restless, Rukia sipping from a steaming mug of hot chocolate. The bandit leader, Seven, as he called himself, pulled up a chair, dropping the loot over the table.

"I used to be the leader of this Clan." Seven said, striking a match on the table and using it to light a lamp next to them. All around them, bandits were clearing debris, and tending to their wounds. He shook his head. Two gunslingers, both looking scarcely older than his kids, did this.

"…Leader, I used to be, until he came." He gestured to the corpse off to the side, still steaming. No one wanted to touch it. "We all thought there was something strange about him. When he joined, there were…disappearances…people come and go, that's their game, which is fine with me…but more an' more 'left' without explanation, and I got suspicious." He shrugged, scratching his beard. "I sent some boys to 'ask' him some questions. They never came back, just disappeared. People started to fear him. Finally he challenged me for the right to lead. No one protested. We fought." His eyes unfocused. "He didn' bleed," he muttered. "I yielded to him, and he spared my life."

Rukia's eyes were sharp, over the mug.

Seven spoke again. "You killed none of my men. I thank you; we all agreed to keep our families away from him…It…." He shook himself and gestured to the stolen money. "Take it and be at peace. You are welcome in the camp of the Blue Mountain Wolves."

As they were about to leave, Seven grabbed Ichigo's arm discreetly. Ichigo tensed, watching Rukia walk on ahead. "What?" He asked roughly. Seven looked at him, and put a box of matches into his palm. "This ain't the first time you seen this happen." He said, quietly. "Not only that, but you ain't a Hunter. I can tell. You're a Vagrant." He dropped Ichigo's palm. On the matchbox, in faded ink, were the stylized words - Mountain Snow, Inn and Tavern.

"The Bandit King will help you. Wanted to contact him myself, but the Thing was watching my every move. When you find the place, they'll know what to do. Show them this, an' when you meet him, tell 'im Seven sent you."

Ichigo glanced at his broad back and made to leave.

"Oh!" Seven called out. "If he treats you with suspicion, ask 'im how my girl is."

--

They rode in silence, just the clip-clop of their horses' hooves interjecting into the sound of the desert night. Rukia had a soft, satisfied smile on her face.

"I think we did good back there."

Ichigo glanced at her contemptuously, and pushed his horse ahead.

Rukia blinked. "Wha…What?!"

Ichigo didn't answer, just grit his teeth and kept staring straight ahead.

…_Ichigo… _Zangetsu warned.

At a loss, Rukia scowled up at him, studying his face. "You needn't be such a sore loser. I think fifty-fifty is rather fair." _Humph._ She shrugged away her disappointment. She didn't think he was the type.

"—That's not it!"

Rukia eyebrows drew up at the aggression in his voice. "What are you unhappy about then? I think we resolved things rather well—

"We. _We_ did, did we?" He snapped. "_Tch." _

_Ichigo. Stop it._

"Yeah, it went fine." He muttered darkly. "No thanks to you."

Rukia's horse felt the tension in its rider and neighed as she jerked it to a stop. "…What the hell did you just say?!"

Ichigo turned around, pulling on the reins of his horse roughly. " I said, 'No thanks to you!' " He said, much louder.

Rukia rode up till she was right in front of him, matching his glare with one of her own. "And what the hell is your problem?"

"You were my problem! You think I could shoot straight knowing a kid was running around behind me?!"

_Ichigo… _Zangetsu admonished quietly, but the damage had been done.

"…A kid?" She asked, jerking like she'd been slapped.

"And are you crazy?" He demanded, ridding up to her angrily. "Taking a Bandit Camp by yourself…you must have a death—

"Silence!" She spat, turning her horse to a different path. "There's more than one way back to Loft. When I get there first I'll explain to the office how a rather rude _child_ is splitting the reward with me."

At having the insult turned back to him, Ichigo's temper flared further. _Child?!_ "I'd be satisfied if I never have to deal with such arrogance again!"

She turned at this, "Yeah?" she asked, fury breaking through her icy countenance. "That makes the two of us!"

"…Hey!" He roared, spoiling for more, but she had moved on. He watched her go, resisting the urge to shout at her back—

—_Charming._ Zangetsu commented, as she faded from sight.

Ichigo gripped his reigns tightly, and motioned his horse to turn around and walk. "…It's better this way."

The soft, rhythmic clip-clop of his horse's steps did nothing to quell his partner's inexplicable anger, as so he tried to break the brooding silence.

_Ichigo, _he sighed. _Do you feel better now?_

Ichigo didn't answer.

_You see? Revenge will bring you nothing. The Hollow—_

"Is now dead! I killed it!"

_And now, do you feel better?!_

"No."

_Then when_—!?

He tried not to choke at the thoughts in Ichigo's mind.

"When?" Ichigo mused, and Zangetsu imagined that it continued an odd…_echo._ "I'll feel better when I kill more of course."

…_Ridiculous. _Zangetsu said, unbalanced. That echo…he should know what it was…what it meant! Curse his shattered mind! _And what happens when your thirst for Hollows interferes with your search for the Reaper!? Like today!_

"Today was an exception! He wouldn't strike tonight! I didn't attack the clan for the Hollow and you know that!"

Silence.

…_No. _Zangetsu sighed. _You didn't._

Kray's house loomed ahead, and the soft lights had a calming effect on him. Ichigo squinted, resisting the urge to rub his eyes as they burned. Neither of them noticed as the black that was invading the whites of Ichigo's eyes receded.

Dismounting, he tied the horse down to the porch.

He made to knock-

"I heard ya, come in," interrupted a voice.

He pushed the dilapidated door open, his fingers brushing against the cracks, crossed the ragged-looking rug. Without a word, he tossed the stone onto the table. "There you go."

Kray was a leather-faced, bent old man, but what had been broken in his body, you could still see in his eyes.

"Hmm," he mused, staring at the Stone. "Thanks." He tossed it back. "Your reward."

Ichigo caught it and glared. "My what?" He asked, running his thumb against the flame. It was still warm to the touch.

"You might make more use of it than I. After all, you'll be seeing many more things than me." He shuffled to the kitchen. "Made you some tea."

Ichigo pocketed the Stone, and turned to leave. "Drink it yourself."

"If by any chance, you find out what it's for, send me a letter?"

Ichigo paused at the door, grunted something that could be a yes or a no, and left.

Kray settled down, sighing at the untouched tea cup he had placed in front of Ichigo before dragging it towards him. "He's a good kid, really."

--

The Tavern was always the first place to get information. Hunters or Vagrants who had travelled far often went to the first bar they saw, in need of a drink and some food before they hit the hay.

The information came easy. Alcohol made tongues wag.

"Hey," Ichigo greeted, plopping down next to a haggard-looking middle-aged man.

"Hey yourself." The man replied. All he saw was another tired traveller.

"Just got in," Ichigo muttered, stooping slightly and rubbing his calves. He called the bartender over. "There seen a murder recently?" He ordered beer. "You know," he said, "One of 'those'."

The man took a long drag from his glass, before nodding. "Yeah. I seen them." He said, his voice hoarse. He straightened his back, trying to force his voice back to normal. "Two towns back...I saw one…" His eyes unfocused.

Ichigo leaned in close.

"…But here?" he continued and Ichigo froze. "Nah. Not yet, I suppose. Old Man Grim didn't find anyone."

The bartender set Ichgio's beer in front of him. The man next to him started talking about the rising price of salt.

The Reaper had passed this town over!

_Buirin!_ His mind screamed. _He was in Buirin!_

"So I was thinking about trading in pepper for a whi—

Ichigo whirled out of his chair.

--

_ICHIGO! _Zangetsu commanded stiffly, a rare sliver of panic creeping into his monotone. _STOP! STOP RIGHT NOW!_

"He skipped this town," Ichigo said crisply. "But he'll definitely be in the next one."

Zangetsu _could _have said 'I told you so', but it would be a bad idea in this case.

The sounds of a stable greeted him as he walked thought the doorway. A boy with a mop of blond hair kicked at the ground idly. Ichigo approached him and pointed to a brown colt.

"That ones mine," he said, putting some coin into the kid's outstretched hand. "I need a new one. Fresh."

The kid counted the money, nodded, and pointed to another.

_You haven't slept for two nights, and you used the Eyes! You were depleted this afternoon, but you're really empty now!_

As Ichigo approached the horse, black spots clouded his vision, sapped his strength. He felt his balance go and he swayed dangerously.

_Ichigo! _Zangetsu's concern flowed through the bond, sharpening his thoughts, and he caught himself before he fell. _You see!? You _need _rest! _

"It's not midnight. We can get to Buirin."He saddled up and pushed away the pain

_I will soon be drawing on your Time! _

Ichigo tightened the straps on his gear. "If I push a fresh horse, I can definitely make it."

_What good can you do there if you can't even stand!? _Zangetsu thundered as they rode out.

--

The black-cloaked man did not have many memories of Buirin, but the notion to stop and build some did not occur to him. He travelled as he always did.

His footsteps made no sound upon the sandy road. Nothing stirred to watch his passing.

Not the Guards surely; for the first time since they were Cadets, they had fallen asleep on duty.

_-He apologized silently. The punishment must be painful as they had not fallen asleep since then.-_

Not the Vagrants surely, they too seemed to find sleep irresistible tonight.

_-He blessed them. The path of the Drifter was a tough one.-_

And not the townspeople, surely, law abiding folk were asleep by now.

_-He passed a window sill, and a child stirred, moaning softly. He moved on quickly, lest it die.-_

No one witnessed his passing. Even without this man's sinister song, most law abiding folk were asleep, for was the Demon Hour, 3:00am - The stories parents told their kids were the ones that frightened themselves as well.

And so he glided, unseen, unheard, past the Inn and the Armoury and the Tavern; towards the fence that divided the Great Forest and the town. When he came to that fence, he flowed through it, like the shadows that rolled out of his robes.

The Grim Reaper had no business in Buirin tonight.

**Tsuzuku**


	3. Crossed Roads 3

Disclaimer! I don't own Bleach!

And Chapter 3 up XD

**Dead on Time**  
_75 percent/00:20:00  
_**Crossed Roads 3  
**

He wanted to open his eyes, and failing that, brushed his numb hands around against the surprisingly soft bed sheets. They smelt like sun. It was very odd because he swore he was underwater.

And he was only underwater when he dreamed.

And that was baaaad, he thought hazily. An attempt to lift his head ended in it rolling to the side uselessly.

Everything was slow. He wanted to move his finger, and it took a minute. He croaked - his throat ached like he had eaten sand.

He decided he might be having a fever.

_Don't fuck with me! _

He wanted to open his eyes. Would he be at the River?

_And it was all a dream. Ha. _

_Zangetsu._ He called.

The ensuing silence that greeted him was more solid than any blow he had been dealt in his life.

…_Zangetsu…?_

Gone. Lost.

It was possible, his fever wracked brain reasoned. Whoever had brought him here could have left the gun where he had fallen, and Ichigo felt the panic he kept at bay hit him like a bucket of ice water.

_Don't. _He tried again, weaker. _I'm so close._

He forced his hands to move and search around, feeling for the gun's smooth, cool black steel. He felt the urge to call Zangetsu's name out-loud grow in his belly and die in his aching throat.

Three years ago, Zangetsu would appear a little after breakfast - well-rested and with food in his belly he was up to the task of producing a corporal image. The memories calmed him down a little somewhat.

His thoughts erupted like a geyser. _But he's not here now and Death is waiting he could be in this town he could be killing someone he could be here find him catch him kill him-_

Ichigo tried to shake his head, but it was too heavy, too leaden. "No," he mumbled instead. "Answers. Just answers. I just want answers."

The voice quieted, and he felt oblivion coming again.

_My limit eh?_

Cool hands pressed against his fever-flushed skin as he blacked out. He noted that he'd been taken in again.

_...How pathetic._

--

_"Hey Boss."_

_Seven looked up to see Johnny. He patted the kid he had been consoling (the one Rukia had used as a human shield) and sent him on his way. "Yeah? What is it Johnny?" _

_John (or Johnny, as what he went by) was a good guy by Seven's book. Always around when you needed him, always ready to lend a hand._

_"What do I do with the body?" Johnny asked, pointing to the still steaming, headless corpse of the Hollow._

_Seven considered it for a moment. "Take it out back, and burn it."_

_Johnny nodded. "Got it." He was just glad to be rid of it. He smoothed his lank hair back. Everyone else didn't even want to touch it, but Johnny felt the faster they got rid of it the better._

_In fact, he'd rather be the one to get rid of it than stand another minute looking at it._

_"Hey, Claude!" He called out, after having a quick exercise in futility. The thing was heavy. "Help me out with this!"_

--

The second time he reached consciousness enough to think, he tried to rise, and failed miserably. What he did manage to do was crack his eyes open. The light made him squint, but even as he adjusted to it, no amount of blinking would make the images sharpen. He closed them again when he felt a sharp pain behind his eyes.

He was on the verge of slipping back when a hand touched his shoulder, and helped him up. A cup was placed to his lips. He drank.

Who was it?

Foes could use gentle hands to reach your neck and strangle you, just as friends could use rough hands to hold you down and dress your wounds.

He was too thirsty to protest. He finished the cup, coughing; he had drunk too fast.

When he didn't die of poison, he relaxed.

Poison.

Snake…poison…he struggled again, a twitch upwards, a knee-jerk reaction to danger. The hands pushed him down.

--

He flitted, in and out of consciousness, and he would dream, and most of them were pretty fucked up.

Like how his mother would call him over after he had gone swimming. He wasn't at The River though.

He turned around. Yup. No River.

But he had only gone swimming at The River.

The paradox made him frown, but he shrugged it off and ran into the open towel his mom was holding up for him.

It was already wet.

When he looked up, she was more than soaked to the bone - it seemed water was oozing out of her pores, dripping from her eyes, pouring out of her mouth when she opened it to say—

--

And then one morning, he cracked an eye open to see Zangetsu, in all his wind-swept glory, gazing down at him.

"Yo."

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly.

"Pretty good," Ichigo replied, trying to sit up, and succeeding somewhat. "Let's go."

Zangetsu's eyebrow went up by a millimetre, and then he watched Ichigo try to stand-

…only to collapse with a gasp. He lay there, glaring at the ceiling. "…So who'd I get taken in by this time?" he asked.

The silence between them stretched on, and he felt the need to break it grow.

…But he couldn't. What could he say? Memories of the verbal lashing the spirit had had given him were still fresh. It had been much too raw to have been simply an effort to keep him awake.

And the most horrible thing is that maybe he deserved some of the things he had said.

Ichigo looked for a window. He wondered what day it was. How long had he been out?

"It is Fir-day."

Ichigo jumped at the prompt answer, and then chastised himself. Zangetsu could read his mind, he knew that. He settled on a window, but the curtains were drawn and the light streamed forth from a crack.

Then what Zangetsu said hit him. Fir-day! "You saying I've been out since the night before?!" He shifted his gaze to the spectre speechlessly. He felt the rush of seeing Zangetsu again, of getting his sight again, drain from him, to be replaced by frustration like he had never felt before. He clenched his fist angrily. "Dammit…!" He cursed. "I was so-

"Ichigo." Zangetsu began. "You listen."

Ichigo shut his mouth. And now that Zangetsu had his young charge's attention, he wondered what to do.

He closed his eyes.

"It will only get harder from here," he said. "I need you to realize that what you did the other night was what led us to here."

Ichigo only said - "We were close," but his mind was a tornado of thoughts. _So close I could feel him. So close I could imagine grabbing him by his shadow-shroud and demanding he uncover his face. So close I could taste Karakura again—!_

"Yes, we were. But you will not catch him if you are dead."

Ichigo shrugged, going back to the window. "I—"

"—Last night would have made it three years, would it have not?"

Ichigo did not answer, but Zangetsu didn't need him to.

"I will let you rest. You have yet to recover fully." Zangetsu turned away, painfully. He couldn't be anything but the mirage on the horizon for this young man.

Ichigo was alone again, to stare at his hands.

Inertia settled over him like a cold, wet, suffocating blanket, and he clenched his fists.

"Tch!" He clucked through grit teeth, and settled in to sleep again. Even if it took the rest of his life...he would catch him. "Something like this is nothing."

He lied to himself, that his core had not been shaken by this failure, and it seemed to work for now.

The door opened.

Rukia finished the apple she was eating and set the groceries on the floor. Studying the bed's occupant, her blue eyes unreadable, she tossed the apple core into a wastebasket.

--

_"God-DAM!" Claude swore heartily, arching his back. "This be heavy."_

_Johnny nodded. "See! I told you so!" He said irritably, but no less bushed._

_They had resorted to dragging it by the feet. They didn't get very far._

_They both stared at the still headless, still steaming corpse._

_"Wheelbarrow," They both said at once, slapping their foreheads._

--

When Ichigo next awoke, the first thing he saw was the crystal clear vision of a plate of cut apples.

"The doctor said you'd wake up today."

He spun around, his hands searching for his gun instinctively. He couldn't find it. "Zangetsu!"

"Zangetsu?" The voice asked. "Is that what this is called? It's rather different from the other night."

Ichigo's eyes widened comically when his gaze fell on her. He opened and closed his mouth a few times.

The girl!

The crazy bitch!

That's _my_ gun!

He settled on "YOU!"

Rukia sighed disdainfully. "…That's exactly what I expected you to say," she said, setting the gun on the table in front of her.

…If it could be called a gun. From a distance, anyone would mistake it for a broadsword. The barrel itself was almost as long as she was tall, and definitely thinker than her forearm. Symbols were etched into silver and black. There was no stock, just a handle that was two fists in length.

She frowned down at it. Was the user supposed to shoot with this or club people to death? Despite how uncouth it looked…there was…a certain…'elegance' about it.

Ichigo didn't really have time that night to study her, but he had now. She wasn't child-like. She was petite. Strands of raven-black hair fell across her face, and her eyes - blue - held the glint of an easy confidence. No, she wasn't a child, a voice muttered somewhere in his brain. He checked to see if that voice was Zangetsu. It wasn't – and that made him feel relieved, deeply afraid and…a mess of other things.

He closed his mouth. "...What are you doing in here." He muttered, turning away.

"This is my room?" She said pointedly. "I rented it?"

"So you sav-" He scowled. "You picked me up?"

She considered him for a moment, and then smiled. "Hmm. I suppose. But only after I robbed you."

"—You did _what_?!"

--

_"Whew." Johnny panted. "Okay. You think this is far enough?"_

_Claude nodded, turning back to Blue Mountain to see if he could catch a glimpse of the camp. "Yea. I think so."_

_Johnny sighed. "Great. Let's set this bitch on fire so we can get back. It's bloody cold and honestly…" he trailed off, listening carefully. "I'm getting the creeps. It's totally quiet out here."_

_Claude scoffed, striking a match. There was a spark, but it wouldn't light up. "You puss. Have some backbone."_

_Johnny spat. "Puss? Backbone? You pond-scum!"_

_"…What the hell you say?"_

--

"And the bruises?" He asked.

"Oh. That happened when you fell off the horse I tied you to." She popped an apple piece into her mouth. "You were dragged behind for a while before she took pity on you and stopped."

Ichigo slapped his palm to his face. "…."

Rukia frowned, a little miffed. "Well yes, you're welcome."

"I should be thanking the HORSE right?"

"I could have left you."

"I gave you enough of a thanks didn't I?" He demanded. "In the form of MY half of the reward!?"

"…True…" Rukia shrugged. "Still, a simple, 'thanks for saving my life' would be nice."

Ichigo ground his teeth, and took deep breathes. "You know…you really—"

"—Anyway." She said, cutting in and getting up. "I'm going for a walk. Probably going to hit the tavern." She cinched her belt to her waist. "You might want to talk to the doctor later. He'll probably be able to tell you why your brain can't process gratitude, even if he couldn't tell how a person sleeping in a ditch the whole night could catch a fever and fall into a coma."

Ichigo was still trying to deal with '—going to hit the tavern' when she closed the door. He finally shook himself out of his stupor. "HEY! ARE YOU SAYING I HAVE BRAIN DAMAGE?"

--

_"I called you pond scum." Johnny said irritably. "Got a problem?"_

_Claude spat his cigarette out. "Yea I do! I was jus' joking, bastard!"_

_"Oh sorry! I didn't think being callously talked to like that is joke material! See here, I called you pond scum, and I meant it. I mean if I called your mum a whore would you take that a joke then? I wouldn't! I honestly can't tell why—" Johnny paused. "What are you looking at?" He asked, turning around._

_It was all teeth. Rows of teeth. Rows behind rows of teeth._

_Sticky strings of drool dripped to the floor, and a hungry rumble issued from the blackness._

_Johnny screamed._

--

"What?!" He demanded of Zangetsu.

_I may not know much about inter-human relationships, but I'm quite sure you are being extremely rude._

Ichigo frowned defensively. "...She robbed me!"

_But she has saved your life twice, and you've insulted her rather badly for it._

Ichigo turned away, gazing at the bowl of apples. "…She should've gotten in the tent."

Zangetsu sighed. _You're too dependant on The War-Seeker. So far, you've been both lucky and quick. You have no idea just how bad the situation was that night. I can only feed so much information into you before it sends you into a coma._ Zangetsu narrowed his gaze. _But you seem to have no problem slipping into one on your own—_

"—What are you saying?" Ichigo broke in.

_I am saying you wouldn't have made it to the Hollow if I hadn't depended on her to watch your back._

Ichigo didn't respond, choosing instead to glare at the door.

Zangetsu sighed. All he detected in the bond was obstinacy. "I take it you don't remember her name?"

Ichigo scoffed picking up an apple slice. "How could I forget? She told it to me when she tried to stab me."

Zangetsu's eyebrows went up. "You don't normally remember, you know."

"Yeah, well I do." He muttered, turning the slice over in his hands before consuming it. "Her name was—"

--

Rukia was on her way to a tavern for information and some food, when a sound like a building collapsing caught her attention.

She turned around, walking in the direction of the crash. People might be in need of rescue, she reasoned. She had never helped save a person from a collapsing building before.

Still, as she walked towards it, she noticed something a bit odd. First of all, it seemed that she was retracing her steps.

Hmm, she thought.

It was coming…

She started walking faster…

…from…

…and then she broke into a run…

…the direction…

She started sprinting and un-holstered Shirayuki—

—of where the inn was!

--

Drool dripped onto his thigh, and he winced when he saw his skin turn red and hiss. "**You bug.**" It grated out, slamming Ichigo against the headboard of his bed. "**You insect!**" It said, drawing out the insult. "**Do you know what I am!?**" It asked, lifting him and tossing him into the wall. It splintered. Ichigo tried to rise but it had him by the throat again and pinned him to the wall.

"**You dare compare **_**me**_** a Hollow?! I am a Duke of Eligor!**"

It squeezed and Ichigo eyes widened. He glanced to his left desperately, but could barely even see the table where Zangetsu lay. "**AND YOU DARE TO PRESUME THAT YOU CAN KILL ME?"** It asked, slamming him against the wall.** "That you can interrupt a soul harvest I have been preparing since last winter?" **He was slammed again. "**I will drag your broken body to hell and make you my plaything!**"

He kicked feebly at the Hollow's iron stomach. It watched, with a wide, sadistic grin, full of teeth. **"And then you will learn why my kind and I are called 'Nightmares.' "**

_Ichigo! _Zangetsu called. _Listen carefully - you are the gun's master. It will respond to your call. Focus and call it into your hand._

Ichigo smiled, and The Hollow, irritated that the fear had left his plaything's face, stabbed a clawed hand into his side. Ichigo screamed but there was no sound, just a hoarse wheeze.

…_You're kidding right?!_

_It didn't call out to you that night in Karakura! _He exploded. _You called out to it - I want none of this disbelief, the gun will not come!_

Ichigo felt he was in no position to argue. "Zangetsu." He croaked out, opening his palm.

The Hollow…no, it called itself a 'Nightmare'…the Nightmare paused in mid–squeeze. "**What did you say?**"

Ichigo ignored him. _Zangetsu! _He tried again.

The Nightmare shook it off and prepared to watch The War-Seekers of this insolent boy pop—

A baby wailed into the night.

It cocked its monstrous head towards it, its teeth forming a grin-

Ichigo's vision went red, like someone had poured blood over his eyes. "…I know what you're thinking!" he hissed. "YOU…SICK…FUCK!!" Lifting his body up and kicking the Nightmare in the teeth, he loosened the grip by a fraction as it rumbled its displeasure.

"ZANGETSU!" he roared, and his fingers closed on cool metal. He plugged the barrel into the middle of the Nightmare's stomach.

The Nightmare jumped to the right, and howled when a chunk of its side was blown away. It stumbled and rolled to its feet, clutching its side.

Ichigo got up, feeling Zangetsu pour strength into his battered body. Keeping his barrel trained on the Nightmare he sauntered to where his clothes lay across the room. When the Nightmare twitched in his direction, he fired at its foot in reply.

It howled with rage, backing off.

Insultingly uninterested, Ichigo continued his circle, coming to a stop in front of a chair which held his tanned cloak. He threw it over his shirtless shoulders, and directed a cocky gaze at the monster that, up until barely a minute ago, was quite sure it had the upper hand.

--

Rukia stumbled to a halt right in front of the inn, which was now sporting a rather large hole. A muscle near her eye twitched.

…That was their room.

--

Ichigo dodged a bone-crushing smash nimbly. He guessed his augmented speed was getting him a little high.

"Not bad," he taunted, tucking and rolling back into a run. Dashing towards the hills and the forests to the south of the town's borders.

_Concentrate Ichigo. _Zangetsu chastised. _I'm not even sure how this ability works…_

Ichigo shrugged, still grinning. _What's there to worry about? Whatever it's called, I feel like I could run up walls!_

He slowed, making sure his cat and mouse game didn't end too quickly, but the Nightmare was keeping up, with uncanny agility for such an imbalanced frame.

_There could be penalties! It's reckless to assume that you'd be given such abilities without an appropriate price! Think! Everything has been given to you at a price – The War-Seeker, the gun, the—_

Zangetsu didn't finish his sentence, instead forcefully synchronizing his memory with Ichigo.

Ichigo almost stumbled at the level of disorientation, but he recovered just in time to leap forward in a flying lariat, barely dodging a roaring tackle from the side. The Nightmare's claws ripped into a tree, shredding the trunk. It fell.

Ichigo rolled, standing up and panting. The town was far enough away. The Nightmare approached, rolling its shoulders.

The game was over. A new one had begun.

He wouldn't put his gun down until the enemy was dead.

--

It wasn't difficult to follow them. Rukia just had to follow the trail of destruction. What she cursed though, was their speed. She was going deep and deeper into the forest, and still couldn't see or hear them!

"Faster!" She begged, pushing the horse through the newly blazed trail.

--

Zangetsu was right about the augmentation, Ichigo thought, as he blocked claws with black steel; there was a definite downside. After using it in conjunction with the War-Seeker, Ichigo gained the upper hand for a bit, but eventually, he could feel its effect flag…and his muscles screamed bloody murder as its crutch left them.

What was especially disheartening was that the hole in the Nightmare's side had almost sealed up.

Never mind, he thought grimly, he had added a few more—!

Claws raked against black steel.

...But it was unnatural. The speed was unnatural! V_isualconfirmation-aim-shoot/the bullet leaves at 0.3/travels at_ _1000fps-_

_Shut it up! _He roared at Zangetsu. _I don't need to know this!_

_I can't!_

It didn't matter how many times he shot it, the Nightmare just roared its displeasure, and continued the attack.

Ichigo parried the claw with the barrel of his gun, and then put some distance between them, gritting his teeth. He barely dodged a return swipe meant to disembowel him. _Doesn't this thing have organs?!_ Recovering his balance easily he took the open shot.

But the Nightmare had thrown an angry, left-clawed uppercut that whacked the barrel up - the shot rang into the night sky. Ichigo twisted around; he spun on his right foot, bringing his left into a roundhouse kick that was grabbed by the Nightmares right claw. Zangetsu came down and Ichigo lined up a shot smoothly. The Nightmare abandoned its catch – it wasn't confident enough to take a shot point-blank.

On and on they danced, and Ichigo fought desperately, pulling everything he thought might work - but his bullets weren't hitting as hard anymore, and the Nightmare had started to notice. What used to tear through its thick skin was now getting lodged.

Suddenly they found themselves staring at each other, panting, the Nightmare breathing like a bear, but standing a little straighter and firmer than him.

And Ichigo knew he was a dead man.

_If you're wondering why it's become a little more difficult to move, I've cut you off from the Acceleration ability and put more into the gun…but soon your reserves will be empty._

Ichigo blinked a mixture of sweat and blood away …_And the bullets will be normal._

_Exactly, _Zangetsu replied.

_Suggestions?_ Ichigo asked, circling his opponent warily.

_Is putting all your reserves into Acceleration and running acceptable?_

_No, _he replied, hatred of his opponent filling his mind, tightening his muscles—

_Then…everything into the gun. You have one shot to incinerate him. Then it will draw on your Time._

Ichigo shrugged. _Don't sound like so bad an option._

_We have discussed this! It could take ten, maybe twenty years of your life, for _one_ bullet, and you might miss. It could take a month, but you'd need it at a crucial moment, and it would hit him like a pebble. We can't control the input, we can't control the output!_

_Yeah, well, it feels like I got about two minutes now. How hard will that hit? _Ichigo quipped.

Ichigo heard a deep, deep sigh as a reply. _Just…don't miss. _He dispelled Acceleration.

Ichigo gasped, and nearly fell, but he managed to grab a tree trunk and stay upright.

The Nightmare saw his chance and charged. Ichigo kept his face straight and tired. He was a dead man, and had dead eyes to match it. There was no way he could move another step. He fired a shot, keeping the impact low. The Nightmare winced…but the pain never came. The bullet lodged itself into its thick flesh harmlessly. It grinned, as Ichigo let his face sag a little more.

Ichigo waited, keeping his tired visage true. In his mind's eye Zangetsu was with him.

_If it doesn't work, you must be prepared to say the Release Key, and say it quickly._

Ichigo closed his eyes briefly, and then opened them. The Nightmare was two feet away.

He pulled the trigger.

"Yeah." He told Zangetsu. "I'll be ready."

The Nightmare's eyes widened, as it watched a single bullet leave Ichigo's barrel. A single bullet that entered its outstretched palm…

…and blew away its entire arm.

It howled in pain, a howl that shook leaves and the earth. It was missing most of its right shoulder, and its head sat precariously on a neck that was missing a quite a bit of its base. It sunk to the ground as it twisted and screamed its torment to the world.

Ichigo sank too, propping himself up against a tree. "Dang." He muttered, reloading.

_You missed. _Zangtsu said, watching the Nightmare writhe with equal disdain. Ichigo's reserves were empty. They would now unlock the gun's true potential. There was no rush.

The Nightmare got up, standing on its feet unsteadily. Its left arm grabbed Ichigo by the throat. Its teeth closed in to bite his face off. Ichigo whispered "Ban—!"

But a lithe young figure had come out and kicked the Nightmare in the side of the head.

Ichigo watched with horror as The Nightmare released its grip and turned its attention to the silly human who dared to interrupt his meal.

_-"You leave him alone!"_ _she cried, her voice shaking with emotion as she stared at all her bad dreams come true. "Y—you…leave him a-alone!" Tears began to fall as she stared to sob, its massive frame towering over her hungrily. She was so brave. She was-  
_

_Ichigo could only scream as he watched her get eaten.-_

_ICHIGO! _Zangetsu screamed, trying to shake him out of it. _COMPLETE THE RELEASE!! _

_-Tatsuki smiled at him. _

_Before her arm was ripped off._

_Well, he didn't think she did, but she always did in his dreams. She smiled, as if to say, "Bad luck huh?" as she always did when she kicked his ass in practice. She smiled, as if to say, "Whoops. But…I'm not sorry."-_

_ICHIGO!_

_-Why wasn't she coming up for air? _Why mom?_ why why why why why-_

_THE RELEASE!_

Rukia kicked at the Nightmare, and felt her toes bruise. She gritted her teeth. "Dominator!" She whispered harshly, and the Nightmare's eyes widened. "That which has the name human! Truth…and…kah!—" The Nightmare squeezed with the intention of snapping her neck—

Rukia felt her vision swim. _…Temperance. Carefully imbed your claws into the wall of innocent dreams._

"Blue firefall." She spat out, and the Nightmare let her go as it writhed and screamed its torment to the world for a second time that night, this time with an air of finality and panic that only a living creature set on fire could produce.

Panting, and holding her side, she fired repeatedly into its body. The screams - and the fire, ended abruptly. She retrieved her sword, and walked over to a stunned Ichigo. By this time she had her breathing under control.

"Hey," she began. Her face filled his vision. "Are you okay?" Her hand was extended.

Everything was becoming…rather difficult to process…but finally, he extended his right hand, Zangetsu dropping from nerveless fingers.

"…Kurosaki, Ichigo," he managed.

The hand twitched in surprise and then a small smile creeped onto her face. "Kuchiki, Rukia."

She closed the gap and clasped his hand, but Ichigo could not deny the exhaustion any longer, and everything faded away.

_Rukia._

**Tsuzuku**

And now the story will pick up XD


End file.
